


Rest, Soldier, Your Battle’s Done

by Liron_aria



Category: Assassin's Creed - All Media Types
Genre: Afterlife, Desmond Miles deserved better and I am GIVING IT TO HIM, Gen, Hurt/Comfort
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-14
Updated: 2020-10-14
Packaged: 2021-03-08 18:22:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 505
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27011182
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Liron_aria/pseuds/Liron_aria
Summary: Desmond burns, but he’s not alone. The Assassins of old stand with their descendant.
Relationships: Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad & Desmond Miles, Desmond Miles & Ratonhnhaké:ton | Connor, Ezio Auditore & Desmond Miles
Comments: 14
Kudos: 156





	Rest, Soldier, Your Battle’s Done

**Author's Note:**

> I do not own Assassin’s Creed; Ubisoft does.
> 
> Thanks for reading!

Desmond burned.

Damn Juno, she’d said it wouldn’t hurt, but it _did_ , the power of a device he was never meant to handle - that he was the _only one_ who could handle - burning him up from the inside out. His vision filled with white, white, white -

A hand on his shoulder.

A hand above his own on the Apple.

The pain... lessened.

A broad palm across his back.

A strong clasp around his forearm.

Gentle touch after gentle touch leeched away the pain as his ancestors shared in his terrible burden. Juno’s victorious laugh rang in his ears, and then...

And then, he was in the Grey.

And then, he was surrounded by hoods and robes and _lifetimes_ \- not just Altaïr and Ezio and Ratonhnhaké:ton, but Edward and Darim and Flavia and all the other Assassins in his blood, whether he lived their lives or not.

And they were looking at him like -

“Juno,” he rasped, “She’s free, isn’t she.”

Altaïr nodded, golden eyes visible under his hood. “She is.”

Desmond closed his eyes. Damn it.

At least the Earth was safe. At least the Sun hadn’t destroyed them all. At least he had that.

He opened his eyes. “So what happens now? Is this the afterlife?”

“Now? The job is done.” Ezio’s voice was like a jolt to the heart. “It is time to move on."

“But - Juno, she’s still out there!”

Ratonhnhaké:ton shook his head. “Your faith in humanity was not misplaced. It has come so far, and the Assassins grown so much. She will not win."

That Ratonhnhaké:ton could say that, after everything he’d seen, after all the ways his people had been betrayed… that really said something, didn’t it? Desmond hadn’t saved the world just to doom it, no matter what Minerva thought.

His gaze swept over his ancestors - his _family_ \- before landing back on Ezio. “Was it worth it?” Desmond asked, “You suffered so much - Minerva asked so much of you because of me -“

“And you suffered with me every step of the way, did you not?” Ezio asked kindly, gaze warm, “And then took on a burden no man should ever have to bear.”

Desmond swallowed. “I tried - you guys left some pretty big shoes to fill.”

Ezio clasped his shoulder, pulling him into a one-armed embrace, warm and solid and comforting in a way Desmond hadn’t actually expected him to be. “And you did. None of us, not a one, could have done any better.”

Pride. That’s what he was seeing in their faces, pride and affection, from every last one.

Altaïr met his gaze head-on, gold meeting brown. “You’ve done your legacy proud, Desmond. You saved the world - and we could not be more proud or more honoured that you are our descendant."

Finally, _finally_ , the tension drained from his shoulders.

“Come, lad,” Edward said, with his insouciant grin and roguish voice, “The task is done, and you’ve earned your rest.”

Desmond took his hand, and the Assassins faded to mist.

_**Requiescat in pace.** _

**Author's Note:**

> Thoughts? Comments?
> 
> For reference:  
> The hand covering Desmond’s - Altaïr  
> The hand on his shoulder - Ezio  
> The hand on his back - Ratonhnhaké:ton  
> The hand on his arm - Edward


End file.
